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Louise and Daves tour du monde - Clan Graham

Ola?!, that's Spanish for how do?! Were setting off for our world trip on June 30th 2008! First stop Argentina for some skiing and steak, then a tour of South America; Brazil (whole length of Amazon River and some footy in Rio), Peru (Inca trail, can't wait), Bolivia (Lake Titicaca) and Chile (nice Vino!). 5 months later we'll be in NZ for a month. We'll be there for Christmas and fingers crossed they'll be filming The Hobbit (I could see myself as an Orc or a Troll!). Then Oz for 4 months (not going to mention cricket, but I think it'd be rude not to talk about rugby to our Oz friends!). Starting in Sydney for New Year and the last 2 months will be a hectic tour of Bali, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, India (curry will be the order of every day!) and finally back to sunny Lancashire. This site is for all dearly loved friends and family and any random joes, but I don't love you yet! All photos not for parental viewing will go on Facebook! Most of you who visit this page will know who we are so I won't bore you. Were cousins from North West England (near Manchester just in case your geography is limited!). Neither of us speak Spanish (not for want of trying though) which will be interesting in South America! We both quit our jobs for this trip and neither of us regret it, not yet anyway! Last, but not least (and were certainly starting in the right continent for it) were footy mad. Louise is a Man U fan and I support a slightly less successful team; Preston North End! I'll update this blog as often as I can, though I'm not sure how many internet cafes they'll have on the Amazon. Please feel free, infact no, I will be frankly offended if people don't keep me informed on how PNE are doing, so I want the scores posting and league positions updated regularly! The PNE vs Blackpool score is essential. Come on you lilywhites! Love to you all! Dave

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Joined on: June 26th 2008
Last Login: October 10th 2008

Blog Entries: 15
Photos: 104

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Blogs & Travel Journals

by Louise-and-Daves-tour-du-monde, order by Date newest first.

By Louise and Daves tour du monde
October 9th 2008

The ugliest and most beautiful city so far!

South America » Peru » Lima » Lima » Barranco

More water

We arrived in Lima from Iquitos after a 2 hour flight. We were on the other side of the Andes now on the Pacific Ocean and the climate was slightly different! After 2 months in sometimes lovely, sometimes oppresive Brazilian heat we were back to the cold! The shorts and vest I was wearing didn't really do the job! On the taxi trip to our hostel I had my first ever view of the Pacific Ocean, but it was dark so I could only see the waves crashing on the shore. The view of it in the morning was not something [View Full Entry]

By Louise and Daves tour du monde
October 1st 2008

Into the lungs of our planet

South America » Peru » Loreto » Iquitos » Amazon Rainforest

Monkey

We have spent more time in Iquitos than any other place so far on our travels. It was certainly the most interesting and beautiful of all the towns that lie along the Amazon; including the Brazilian leg. The reason though, is because we did our first trip into the rainforest. After traveling nearly 4000km down the river we never actually went into the rainforest that surrounds it! After arriving in Iquitos we could tell we were in a completely different country and we were also nearly back on the gringo trail! We were surrounded the second we got off the boat [View Full Entry]

By Louise and Daves tour du monde
September 21st 2008

Barco numero dos - Rio Solimoes into Colombia!

South America » Colombia » Leticia

Another Sunset or rise!

After the first boat trip we were both perhaps a little apprehensive about another week on a boat with nothing to eat but rice, spaghetti, beans and a dubious meat for every meal and the continual onslaught of mosquitos and other more horrible and large unkown insects that appeared as soon as the sun dissapeared over the forest. Then again we had had a great week on the previous boat, infact one of the best, and as usual it was nowhere near as bad as fellow gringos had made out. The man who sold our ticket to us told us that [View Full Entry]

2 little local girls who liked us gringos!

By Louise and Daves tour du monde
September 9th 2008

Dream fulfilled - but not in Peru

South America » Brazil » Amazonas

Luckily the musicians were practasing

My boyhood dream of traveling down the Rio Amazonas or Amazon River to you and me, has come to and end as it has now been fullfilled (although the Peruvians would have something to say about that which I'll explain later!). We are now in Manaus which lies just 10 km west of where the Rio Negro and Rio Solimoes meet to form the Amazon. The Rio Negro is black; hence the name and the Rio Solimoes is brown and the waters don't mix for several miles downstream. It was a bizzare sight! The trip was everything I didn't expect and [View Full Entry]

By Louise and Daves tour du monde
September 2nd 2008

Sun, Sweat and a bit more sweat!

South America » Brazil » Pará » Belém

This place is like a bloody oven! The temperature floats around 37 degrees, but it's the humidity that is unrelenting! From sunrise to sunrise the intensity is unreal. We have found the retreat of the shopping centre a huge relief and I have made 3 visits to the place and I'm due for a follow up dose tomorrow. It reminds me of the Fishergate Centre in Preston. I know it's so tragic to nest near to one of the great wonders of the natural world and spend my time in the epitome of western consumerism, but the air conditioning feels soooooo [View Full Entry]

By Louise and Daves tour du monde
August 26th 2008

Liver recovery after Rio

South America » Brazil » Bahia » Salvador

After one of the carziest weeks of my life on Rio, we decided it was rest time and Salvador was our bed. Only a 2 hour flight from Rio and we arrived in Salvador. The biggest city of Northern Brazil which lies on the coast (yes, more beautiful beaches!!!); it is a city steeped in rich African history and the population here is predominantly African. The weather is roasting as it has been since we crossed the Argentinian border into Brazil. Most of the population are very poor and it seems that the problems associated poverty are predominante here. Yet again [View Full Entry]

By Louise and Daves tour du monde
August 24th 2008

I lose my gringo status and what a week! I love Rio!!!!

South America » Brazil » Rio de Janeiro » Rio de Janeiro » Ipanema

I don't even know where to begin with this city! I thought Buenos Aries was crazy, but Rio is completely bonkers! We spent 8 days there and had the time of our lives! We stayed in a part of Rio called Ipanema which is quite upmarket. Now I know you're probably thinking that we should stay in the more working class or traditional areas, but we would probably have lasted about 3 minuites if we had stayed there. While Rio is a truly outstanding place the gap between the rich and the poor is unbelievable and you simply do not wander [View Full Entry]

By Louise and Daves tour du monde
August 16th 2008

Finally I can swim! Plus some serious Brazillian sunshine!

South America » Brazil » Rio de Janeiro » Ilha Grande

Arrived in Ilha Grande after a 2 hour bus trip and 1hr 30min ferry. Yes, ANOTHER paradise island. I'm sorry, but "when in Paris" as they say. Our hostel was right on the beach just out of the town. There were no roads and the little town was very relaxed and reminded me of a sort of Jamaicanesque village. We went to a beach called Lopez Mendez. It is regarded as one of the finest beaches in the whole world and it lived up to it's reputation. 3km long as it sweeps round and dense jungle and mountians behind and huge [View Full Entry]

By Louise and Daves tour du monde
August 16th 2008

Favela Funk and William Wallace!

South America » Brazil » Rio de Janeiro » Paraty

Yes another place of beautiful beaches! After a 12 hour bus trip to Sao Paulo where we didn't stop (we were actually advised by Brazillians not to stop, it's a concrete jungle and I swear I saw snow when I woke on the bus in the middle of the night, but no-one believes me, I KNOW I saw it!) we changed buses for Paraty. Arrived in the middle of a giant thunder storm. We stayed in the historic centre, which was absolutely gorgeous. It's a small Portuguese colonical town, with stone cobbled streets and simple one story plainly painted, but very [View Full Entry]

By Louise and Daves tour du monde
August 4th 2008

Barra da Lagoa

South America » Brazil » Santa Catarina » Florianópolis

Barra sunset

Now in Brazil! I was only just starting to learn Spanish, but they speak Portugese here so i´ll have to start again! It´s very beautiful here. It´s a tropical island with long sandy beaches, colourful houses up the hillside, turqoise lagoons and beachside bars. Incredibly relaxing. Are you jealous yet?! In terms of famous sites to see there is actually not that much, but the weather is warm and there is lots of surfing to do and cocktails to drink, but I can´t do any of it!! It seems I´ve got my pilonalidal sinus back and it´s an open wound so [View Full Entry]

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